Ten, nine, eight, seven, six — wait! Stop the clock. Hold the ball. Stuff a sock in Ryan Seacrest's mouth. You're probably already stuck with your choice or no choice for this year's New Year's Eve festivities. But in planning for next year, remember that North America has loads of unconventional and utterly memorable celebrations, such as a (cruelty-free) marshmallow chick drop in Pennsylvania. Here are some ideas worth a countdown.

Lehigh Valley, Pa.: The Peeps in the valley's Bethlehem don't fly; they drop from the sky like a giant chick-shaped UFO. The free two-day PeepsFest bids 2012 adieu with s'mores, featuring the avian marshmallow treats as the main ingredient; a scavenger hunt-and-peck for hidden Peeps; and a chicken dance-a-thon in a disco lounge. The family-friendly event culminates Dec. 31 with the Peeps Chick Drop: At the early-bird hour of 5:15 p.m., a 4.5-foot-tall, 85-pound lighted fowl will return to Earth, followed by fireworks that go pop like your belly full of Peeps. Info: artsquest.org/peepsfest, discoverlehighvalley.com

Key West, Fla.: The Florida party town has a long history of tossing oddball items off rooftops. For example, Sloppy Joe's on Duval Street will hold its 20th annual Dropping of the Conch Shell. As a general rule, throwing sea life is not recommended, so the bar will add confetti and beads to the airborne mix. Also on Duval: Sushi, a female impersonator with no relation to the Japanese specialty, will float down in a 6-foot-long red high heel at Bourbon St. Pub/New Orleans House Complex. And down by the water, a pirate wench will descend the mast of a tall ship at the Schooner Wharf Bar. Once the sky is clear, the party shifts to the land and into the new year. All events are free to watch. fla-keys.com/keywest

Mobile, Ala.: Don't even try to take a bite of the 350-pound MoonPie that, at the stroke of midnight, will shoot down from a 34-story high-rise. The sweet treat is made of inedible ingredients that have more in common with a lamp than with cookies and marshmallows. But for the free event, the Chattanooga Bakery, maker of the snack food that's traditionally thrown during Mobile's Mardi Gras, is creating the world's largest MoonPie. In addition, the port town will host a Mardi Gras-style parade with floats and marching bands honoring its place in history as the first U.S. city to hold Carnival. There also will be three live music stages, a laser show and fireworks. mobilenewyear.com

Dallas: Big D NYE, the self-proclaimed "biggest New Year's Eve celebration in the Central Time Zone," drew 35,000 revelers to Victory Park last year. This year should be more of the same — loud and large — with multiple stages featuring a full roster of bands. Gourmet food trucks will park along the periphery, ready to satisfy XXL appetites. At midnight, the sky will crackle with the Stream Energy Fireworks Spectacular, a fiery show released from four locations and synchronized to music by DJ Ro Parrish. bigdnye.com

Boston: You'd need an entire year to fully experience First Night Boston, the oldest New Year's Eve festival of arts and culture in North America (established in 1975). Unfortunately, you have only a day and a night to squeeze in hundreds of music and dance performances, films, art exhibits, poetry slams, puppet shows, ice sculptures and more. Outdoor attractions are free; an $18 First Night button is good for all indoor events. At the cusp of 2013, fireworks will electrify the air over Boston Harbor. firstnightboston2013.sched.org

Atlanta: After 23 years, the Atlanta Peach Drop, said to be the largest New Year's Eve celebration in the Southeast, is still ripe for action. About 100,000 people are expected to watch the 800-pound fiberglass-and-foam fruit plummet from a 138-foot tower at Underground Atlanta. The city's main entertainment complex will warm up the crowd with 16 hours of free special events, such as carnival-style rides, live music by more than two dozen Georgia artists and fireworks. peachdrop.com

New Orleans: Les bon temps roll on and on in the French Quarter, starting at 9 p.m. with live music at Jackson Square and continuing way past Baby New Year's curfew. At midnight, an 8-foot-tall fleur-de-lis will drift down a 25-foot pole atop Jax Brewery Condominiums, followed by the fire-crackin' Symphony in the Sky show over the Mississippi River. As usual with New Orleans, at midnight the party will just be getting started. crescentcitycountdown.com

Providence, R.I.: Bright Night Providence was born out of darkness: the 2003 cancellation of the Rhode Island capital's First Night. Local artists filled the hole with a festival that leaves little time for lamenting 2012. The packed daylong schedule features performances by more than a 100 musicians, hypnotists, dancers, storytellers, acrobats, magicians, visual artists, clowns and other entertainers. Dozens of venues will host the acts, but the big moment will be at Kennedy Plaza, where musicians will lead the countdown en masse and put this year to bed. brightnight.org